The Crown

We sit on the sandy beach, enjoying the warmth of a small fire, that Shadar made. He also made us some delicious fish... I've never had anything like it. The only fish I've ever eaten was rotten, mixed in with the slop.

Eating my fish, I gaze up at the starry night sky. It's beautiful. Never in my miserable life had I ever thought I'd see something so beautiful. And I'm not alone... I get to enjoy it with my friend, my first friend.

I glance at him, wondering what his thinking, what does he plan on doing now? Will he leave?

I'am unsure of what to do, for now I'd like to enjoy this freedom. This delicious fish.

"Hey Mav., what are we gonna do now?" Shadar asks me, suddenly.

"Hmm, I'm not sure... let's think about it in the morning." I say, tiredly.

The waves slash onto the sandy shore as the wind blows. So... peaceful, how long will it last? I hope forever.

Morning comes and I'm rudley awakened by a noisy crow. It sits on my chest, staring into my deep black eyes. I get up and it flies up landing on the palm tree I slept under. Then it flies to the next tree, I follow. It goes on like this for awhile, following the rude bird as it goes from tree to tree.

I follow the crow as it leads me through a patch of large rocks. Eventually the crow flys further away as I climb over the rocks.

"Wait! Damnit." I curse, wondering why I'm following this damn bird? Shadar must be sleeping peacefully... I swear I'm going to eat you, crow.

I make it through the massive rocks, and on the other side... a cave? I hear the crow "caw" on the inside so I enter the cave cautiously... it's dark, cool air brushing against my cheek. The cave appears to be untouched by humans, which is odd because...

"Caw! Caw!"

Looking up at the crow, it sits atop a great ship. The ship... is unlike any other ship I've seen, though it's not like I've seen many ships. Only the ship's Noblemen sailed.

This ship however was... so cool!

I cough. It's just... it's as if the ship had jumped right out of my fantasies. Dark wood, so dark it's black. Three tall masts, windows on the sides... I assume for cannons. The ship had been neglected for a long time, that was clear but it didn't take away from how cool it looked. I wish I knew a better word to describe it...

"Oh! I should go tell Shadar!" I say to myself, in excitement.

However my excitement was immediately crushed as I approached our little camp site. Six men dressed in red uniforms surrounded Shadar. The "Crown" has come. They have come to take our freedom.

Shadar told me that the Crown is one of the four Great houses, which means they have one of the four Great Bloodlines. The Crown stands above all other known Bloodlines, therefore they rule the seas.

They reside in the "Capital of the world", the largest habitable island. They own several islands around the Capital, those islands are rented to the rich.

This island belongs to the Crown as well. The Owner had been paying the crown, in order to conduct his business here.

Unbeknownst to us, the Owner had been avoiding the fees, which allowed him to live comfortably under the Crown's protection. So naturally they came to arrest him, only to find his corpse, as well as everyone within the facility's corpse. Only a single slave sleeping peacefully on the beach.

Why? Why now? I think to myself, as I sprint to my friend.

"Take the boy." A man with four stars on his chest, says calmly. His uniform red as blood.

Shadar tries fighting back but he cannot. Not only are they bigger and stronger, but he was taken by surprise.

"Shadar!" I shout, as I sprint. Not thinking of a plan, only of my friend.

He looks back at me in shock, glancing at the man with four stars he shouts "Run away, Mav.!"

But it's too late... a bullet fires into my chest. I stumble and fall down onto the sand.

The four star man blows the smoke from his flintlock pistol. "Let's go." He says, not looking back.

"Um, but sir shouldn't we have taken that one as well?" A single-star man asks, hesitantly.

"One slave is enough. Also that boy's eye's were... dangerous. Better to eliminate potential threats before they arise. Any more questions?" The man says, his voice calm and cold.

I bleed out onto the sand... Shadar... no! They drag him away.

"Mavro! No! Wait please!" He begs, they don't listen. Instead they knock him unconscious.

I clutch my chest with one hand and crawl forward with the other. The sand is hot. They board their ship... so I crawl into the water. I need to stop them, but I cannot. My arms feel limp, like tentacles, so I use my chin to move. Slowly... my chin hurts on the hot sand, my chest burns, my flames cannot help.

Finally I'm in the water... but the ship has long since left my sight, and I haven't the energy to swim.

Ah... what a fool I'am. I'm pulled into the water by the current. Slowly, I sink.

'I'm sorry... Shadar.' My last thought, as I sink down into the deep dark abyss.

As sink I'm embraced by the cool water, it feels nice. My chest no longer aches or burns. Perhaps I've died. No, I can't die. I need to save, Shadar.

"How pitiful... you pathetic creature. Why don't you just give up and die?" A deep voice speaks to me.

Strange... why is it so familiar...

"You can't even save yourself yet you want to save someone else? And I thought the fat man was greedy." The voice echoes in my head.

Was I being greedy?

"Sign... if you want to live just open your eyes, child." The voice tells me, impatiently.